Sea cadets at London's mansion house with the Lord Mayor of London Fiona Woolf and Coachmakers master Michael Callaghan. Picture: Sandra Rowse

Sea cadets and Royal Marines cadets from the Hornchurch and Upminster unit were invited to Mansion House, the official residence of the Lord Mayor of London Fiona Woolf, for the prestigious banquet.

The cadets stood in a guard of honour as guests arrived at the banquet - guests included Princess Anne’s husband Sir Timothy Laurence, HMS Bulwark Captain Dean Bassett and the Lord Mayor of London herself.

The Worshipful Company of Coachmakers, who the cadet group are affiliated with, held the banquet to help raise money for disadvantaged young people who they help get into training.

Cadets chairman Chris Butcher, who kept banquet guests a surprise, said: “I think they were a bit overwhelmed, we didn’t tell them too much about it because we thought it would be nice to get there and tell them.”

The young cadets were honoured to get the chance to speak to Captain Bassett of the navy ship HMS Bulwark.

Mr Butcher added: “They had the opportunity to interact directly with actual navy personnel - I think they found it quite enjoyable.”

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